A Look Back At Those We Lost In 2004
With the passing of another year, we have seen some members of
our aviation community also pass. The aviation
brotherhood/sisterhood is small enough that we all feel the loss of
one of our membership when it happens. Whether we knew them
personally, or just watched or read about their aviation deeds, we
feel the emptiness left by their passing. To those they left
behind, our heartfelt wishes are with you.
To the ones who’ve passed, if you’re reading this,
please look down on us and smile.
These are some of the aviation legends who have 'gone west' this
year:
3 Feb 2004 Duane
Cole -- Legendary airshow performer, writer and flight
instructor (right). ANN report 4 Feb 2004
30 Mar 04 Harlan Jost -- Distinguished veteran,
American Airlines manager and long time member of the Southern
California Aeronautic Association. ANN report 8 Apr 2004
14 Apr 2004 Jerry Rooks -- Advocate of the
southern aviation scene. ANN report 26 Apr 2004
7 May 2004 Pete Knight -- Veteran test pilot
and combat pilot, California State Senator. ANN report 10 May
2004
22 May 2004 Sam Johnson -- Early and lifelong
supporter of EAA Young Eagles program. Chairman emeritus of SC
Johnson Wax. ANN report 25 May 2004
3 Jul 2004 Andrian Nikolayev -- Former
lumberjack turned Cosmonaut. ANN report 6 Jul 2004
15 Jul 2004 Charles W.
Sweeney -- Retired USAF Brigadier General, pilot of
"Bock's Car" (right) the B--29 that dropped the 2nd Atomic bomb on
Nagasaki to end WWII. ANN report 19 Jul 2004
10 Jul 2004 Albert Casey -- Chairman of AMR
Corp., parent company of American Airlines, professor at Southern
Methodist University's Edwin L. Cox School of Business. ANN report
13 Jul 2004
4 Aug 2004 Joel Smith -- Test pilot and head of
flight line at Mooney Aircraft. ANN report 9 Aug 2004
28 Aug 2004 Alva Temple -- Flew 120 missions as
one of the famed Tuskeegee Airmen. ANN report 3 Sep 2004
8 Sep 2004 John Franklin "Jack" Bolt -- Retired
USMC Lt. Col., Double Ace, WWII (as part of the famed Black Sheep
Squadron) and Korea. ANN report 21 Sep 2004
1 Sep 2004 Walter
Koladza -- Former Corsair test pilot and "the
personification of Berkshire Aviation Enterprises and Great
Barrington Airport since 1945 according to ANN contributor "Bill"
Schulz." ANN report 22 Oct 2004
4 Oct 2004 Gordon Cooper -- One of the original
Mercury 7 astronauts, former Marine and USAF pilot, test pilot at
Edwards AFB. ANN report 5 Oct 2004 and 19 Oct 2004
9 Oct 2004 Max Faget -- Designer of the Mercury
spacecraft and Apollo command and service module (right), a
founding member of the Space Task Force which became the core of
NASA. Founded Space Industries. ANN report 12 Oct 2004
10 Oct 2004 Christopher Reeve -- Actor and
commercial--instrument, multi-engine pilot. Best known for his
portrayal of Superman. Former chairman of Christopher Reeve
Paralysis Foundation.
2 Dec 2004 Joseph Conrad Funk -- Co--founder of
Funk Aircraft Company. ANN report 4 Dec 2004
7 Dec 2004 Rick Gillenwaters -- Instructor for
Texas Air Aces, USAF veteran.
10 Dec 2004 Capt. Miles Selby -- Canadian Force
pilot, in his second year as a pilot with the Canadian Snowbird
Flight Demonstration Team. ANN 11 Dec 2004